Animal welfare organizations team up to save, adopt pets

Published: Monday, March 17, 2014 at 05:33 PM.

On the mend, Jack went home with Robbie Shatterly of Burlington on Monday. He’ll be moved to a more permanent foster home before he’s adopted.

“He seems to be doing great. He’s sat in my lap most of the time,” Shatterly said. “He’s a little bit leery of strangers, but that’s probably pretty common if a dog hasn’t had much socialization.”

In other areas, shelters and the Humane Society work closely together to find homes for animals and reduce shelter intake. That hasn’t always been the case in Alamance County. At times, the organizations have seemed at odds, with relations especially strained over the issue of euthanization.

Recent changes in leadership at both organizations led to the new alliance. Jessica Arias became Burlington Animal Services director in December. Caitlin Daly was hired as executive director of the Humane Society of Alamance County in late 2012.

Arias came to Burlington from Orange County’s animal shelter, where they relied on a number of outside, nonprofit animal organizations to foster and adopt animals.

“Almost all the time here, we have more animals available than we can find homes for,” Arias said. “The Humane Society has an extensive network of volunteers and foster homes. That’s something that Burlington Animal Services doesn’t have.”

After Daly met with Arias early this year, it seemed clear the two organizations should pool resources.

Just a few months ago, Jack Sparrow — an 8-year-old Chihuahua mix that came into Burlington’s animal shelter — may not have stood much of a chance.

But Jack is the beneficiary of a growing relationship between Burlington Animal Services and the Humane Society of Alamance County, and one of about 30 animals that have been transferred over the last several months from the shelter into the Humane Society’s care.

A resident found Jack wandering in the cold Feb. 26 and brought him to the shelter on Stone Quarry Road, covered in mud and with a severely injured right eye.

Initially wary, Jack warmed to the staff there after they bathed him and made him comfortable. He had the personality and disposition of a dog that would make someone a good companion.

But there was the still the problem of that eye. It needed surgery to correct. Unless Burlington Animal Services could find a private donor to pay for the procedure, Jack would have to be euthanized.

That’s when the shelter reached out to the Humane Society of Alamance County. The organization took Jack in, paid for surgery to remove his eye, and found him a foster home.

On the mend, Jack went home with Robbie Shatterly of Burlington on Monday. He’ll be moved to a more permanent foster home before he’s adopted.

“He seems to be doing great. He’s sat in my lap most of the time,” Shatterly said. “He’s a little bit leery of strangers, but that’s probably pretty common if a dog hasn’t had much socialization.”

In other areas, shelters and the Humane Society work closely together to find homes for animals and reduce shelter intake. That hasn’t always been the case in Alamance County. At times, the organizations have seemed at odds, with relations especially strained over the issue of euthanization.

Recent changes in leadership at both organizations led to the new alliance. Jessica Arias became Burlington Animal Services director in December. Caitlin Daly was hired as executive director of the Humane Society of Alamance County in late 2012.

Arias came to Burlington from Orange County’s animal shelter, where they relied on a number of outside, nonprofit animal organizations to foster and adopt animals.

“Almost all the time here, we have more animals available than we can find homes for,” Arias said. “The Humane Society has an extensive network of volunteers and foster homes. That’s something that Burlington Animal Services doesn’t have.”

After Daly met with Arias early this year, it seemed clear the two organizations should pool resources.

“We just decided it was ridiculous for us not to work together,” Daly said. “We’re different organizations, but we’re working together to save lives.”

There are about 32 foster homes in Alamance County’s network. The agreement between the organizations allows the animal shelter to transfer ownership of the animals to the Humane Society as space becomes available in foster homes. That frees up space inside the adoption center and shelter.

Arias hopes to build similar partnerships with other groups around the state. She hopes also to attract more volunteers to help care for animals in the shelter.

Daly said the Humane Society is looking for more foster pet owners as well as donations. Food and vet costs for foster owners are paid for by donations to the Humane Society.

“Foster owners just need to provide a safe, warm home and socialization with the animals until they’re adopted,” Daly said.

Volunteers should call Laura Michel at 336-578-0343, ext. 1505. A complete list and pictures of adoptable animals is available at www.ci.burlington.nc.us by clicking on the link for “animal services” under the “city services” menu.” Click the “adoptable pets” link on the left.

■ The Humane Society of Alamance County can be reached at 336-438-2023. Its office is at 2444 Tribek Court, Burlington. For more information about adoptable animals, volunteering or fostering pets, go online at www.hsaconline.org.